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Live-Action 'Kite' Adaptation with Samuel Jackson Gets New Director

by Ethan Anderton
February 4, 2013
Source: The Film Stage

When the sudden news of Snakes on a Plane director David R. Ellis passing away surfaced last month, that left the adaptation of he Japanese anime movie Kite, starring Samuel L. Jackson, in limbo. The project was gearing up to start production when Ellis passed away, and it was unclear what would happen. Now a press release (found via The Film Stage) has revealed that South African director Ralph Ziman (Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema) will take over the project. In addition, Maleficent and Underworld: Awakening star India Eisley and The Great Gatsby and Flipped star Callan McAuliffe have both joined the cast. More below!

The story doesn't depart too much from the original anime as it follows a young woman (to be played by India Eisley) living in a failed state, post-financial collapse, where the corrupt security force profits on the trafficking of young women. Her father, a police officer, is killed, and she decides to find his murderer with his ex-partner (Jackson), who is actually the killer. It'll be interesting to see how this seemingly low key production turns out, especially with someone like Jackson on board. Hopefully it at least turns out better than other live-action adaptations of anime like Dragonball Z and Speed Racer. Anyone interested?

Filed under Development, Movie News

From around the web:

JL

The anime and Manga world provide endless counts of stories and largely a huge diversity of characters and personalities. The US adaptations have yet to really be able to portray the stories yet. Speaking of Dragon Ball, I don't think the studios really need to boot/re-boot these stories from the beginning (pending the anime/manga). One's like Dragon Ball and Cowboy Bebop already have a huge following that don't really need introduction of character and story. Kite will need a little build up though but I'm hoping that "Pacific Rim" will open new doors to animes like Go Lion/Voltron, Gundam, Gaiking, and even Neon genesis Evangelion.......here's to wishing....(fingers crossed)
- http://www.facebook.com/danielvutran Daniel Vu Tran
  
  We are in the super hero era, when the west finally wise up and realize that Japanese adaptations would fucking be amazing, we will garner into the Anime turned IRL era. Just imo. ekhekehkehs....
mesa like no

Why no love for Speed Racer ? Compared to other failed Americanizations of Japanese art it turned out great.It's silly and its silliness works.imo. I bet they will mess up this movie.Why? Because they will go for PG-13 and that will ruin the essence of the original.Besides other probable failures of interpretation of the anime.
HankyPanky

Well now we know who the killer actually is. Thanks a lot, not.